"It's a process of over 5 years that is bearing dividends" - MSK Prasad on India fielding two teams
MSK Prasad, the former chairman of selectors, has highlighted that Team India is reaping the rewards of the hard work that the selectors have put in over the last five years.
India will field two different teams simultaneously in international cricket after 23 long years. Virat Kohli & Co. will continue with their training in Durham, ahead of their test series against England. The second Indian team, led by Shikhar Dhawan, will be in Colombo to face Sri Lanka for a white-ball series.
Both teams have good chances of winning their respective series. Former India cricketer and selector MSK Prasad credited India A tours and the IPL for surfacing unnutured talent. Speaking to The Indian Express, he said:
“There have been numerous India A tours during my tenure as a selector. The senior team management, along with the national selectors and India A head staff would sit down and identify fringe players and hand them opportunities for the smooth transition to take place. It’s a process of over 5 years that’s bearing dividends."
From 2017 to 2019, the India A team has played 24 unofficial Test matches, which is more than what New Zealand, Bangladesh and Pakistan have played during this period. No other A team has played more than 14 unofficial Test matches, which speaks volumes about the time and money the BCCI has invested to build the bench strength.
India appears to be pulling off the two teams idea: Inzamam-ul-Haq
Former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq, meanwhile, is fascinated by the idea of fielding two different teams simultaneously. The legendary batsman is confident that India can pull it off, unlike Australia, who had failed to do the same a few years back.
“This idea of assembling a second Indian team is interesting. What India are trying to do today, Australia did this years ago, but they were not able to be successful in it. India appears to be pulling it off,” Inzamam-ul-Haq said on his YouTube channel, Inzamam ul Haq – The Match Winner.